In the midday summer sun, eleven people stand or lie close together on a bench in the middle of an expanse of water, all apparently asleep Three of them wear diving suits and are half-submerged A fourth diver is about to slip off the bench, while the lady with the white wig cannot hold him Four additional ladies wear festive baroque-style clothing, some with a parasol or fan Two gentlemen in baroque frock coats are asleep while standing, and another lies fully stretched out on the bench around which everyone has gathered in ankle-deep water On the horizon, a wooded shoreline can be seen in the distance The sky is clear, the water calm and wide Nothing disturbs the idyll

The fairy-tale-like merges with contemporary sport and leisure culture Recreational divers encounter people who recreate historical fashion Both groups appear out of place The divers in wetsuits sweat in the sun, while the baroque-costumed figures soak their garments Traditional clothing contrasts with contemporary specialized equipment designed to withstand even underwater conditions An image that questions our practices in dealing with the environment At the same time, an image that points to the potential of rising sea levels Has the group fallen asleep before the water arrived and washed the divers ashore?

Sleep is generally considered a time for regeneration. We are briefly away, only to return fit and present. But that does the sleep an injustice. Much more happens during sleep, and we remain sensitive to everything around us, who is near and who is far. Social beings remain social even in sleep.